Age related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in the elderly population in developed countries. Over a third of those over 75 years currently have some form of this disease. Slowing or preventing the progression of AMD is an urgent public health goal. The clinical significance of ocular angiogenesis is enormous, because choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in late stage AMD is the chief cause of irreversible loss of vision in elderly patients in the western hemisphere. CNV involves abnormal vessel growth from the choriocapillaris through Bruch's membrane resulting in hemorrhage, scarring, exudation and/or retinal detachment with the ultimate consequence of severe loss of high acuity central vision. The need for effective therapies to prevent and treat CNV is rapidly growing with the increasing population of people over the age of 65.